She tried not to let the hope rise, but it was impossible to stop it. She knew better. She really did. But she couldn’t stop it.

Del grinned at her and shook his head, and all her hopes went crashing down again, just as she’d known they would.

“No, I don’t think you really believe,” he told her. “You still think there’s some way you can get out of this.”

“She’s so stupid,” Mattie said.

“That’s right, Emily. She’s just not as smart as you.” He cocked his head and studied Lizzie for a long moment, before adding, “But maybe she can learn. What do you say, little nameless girl? Do you want to learn how to be smart?”

Lizzie nodded. She didn’t really. She knew that whatever he was talking about was only going to be worse than things already were. But she couldn’t seem to stop herself.

“Then you better come inside,” Del said. “Both of you. Emily can show you how to make me happy. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, little nameless girl? You want to know how to make me happy, don’t you?”

Lizzie was spared the need to answer. There was no question but that she was going to agree, only she never got the chance. Before she could nod, before either she or Mattie could take a step toward the house, a dog burst out of the long weeds behind them and came to stand between the girls and Del. It was a broad-shouldered pit bull, its short fur the colour of honey.

Lizzie felt no hope at its appearance. It wouldn’t be able to protect her. Del would see to that.

“The hell?” Jilly’s brother said. “I don’t know where you came from, but you’re sure not squatting your ugly ass anywhere around here.”

He made a wave with his hand in the direction of the dog. Lizzie tensed, waiting for the dog to disappear, or turn into black goo, or maybe just explode. But nothing happened.

The dog growled, low in its chest, and took a step forward.

Del waved his hand again. Dirt spat up around the dog as though the ground had sustained a powerful blow, but the dog was untouched. Unmoved. It growled again, lower, angrier, and then something wonderful happened. Lizzie saw fear in Del’s eyes.

She had no idea why he couldn’t deal with the dog the way he had Timony and the priest. She was just so relieved to see that he wasn’t all-powerful.

Was Jilly finally waking up to the fact that Del could only have power over them if she believed that he did? Maybe there was hope after all.